Ineffective or improper sterilization of medical instruments used for gynecological examinations has long been a concern for the medical community as well as for women in general. Many cases have been documented wherein women have contracted serious illnesses from contaminated gynecological instruments, some of which can lead to sterility or stillbirth. This concern has intensified since the identification of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the cause of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) in humans, which usually leads to death.
While most hospitals and clinics are equipped to autoclave (heat sterilize) medical instruments, some facilities still use alcohol to sterilize instruments. While autoclaving is a more effective method of sterilization, some germs can resist even this level of sterilization. Furthermore, improper sterilization can occur in either method, in which case a patient may be exposed to a greater spectrum of harmful strains of virus or bacteria.
A common medical instrument used in gynecological examinations is a speculum which typically comprises one or two duck-billed dilating members which are inserted into the vaginal cavity to afford the examining physician greater visual and instrumental access to the vaginal cavity. While disposable specula are known in the art, these have proven in practice to be cost inefficient. Therefore, most gynecological examinations are carried out using a metal speculum which must be sterilized after each use. This sterilization of the speculum necessarily induces the previously mentioned concerns.